AOAC regularly offers professional development training courses and webinars online, at the Annual Meeting, and at the Midyear Meeting. AOAC is developing new courses on an ongoing basis, so please check back here often.

A Virtual Thought Leader Discussion on Botanical and Dietary Supplement Product Integrity, Part 1

With the Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA)
On-demand

This is the first of a multi-part virtual Thought Leader Discussion (TLD), convened with GRMA on Botanical Ingredients and Dietary Supplement Integrity to discuss the rapidly emerging and multi-faceted challenges this industry is facing. These include limited and inconsistent regulatory oversight, consumer misconceptions and quality concerns, new product offerings, and expanding consumer markets. Such challenges have brought greater attention to recognized analytical gaps needed to support botanical and dietary supplement quality, safety, and integrity for producers, retailers, and consumers alike. In addition, many large retailers are now moving toward adoption of quality assurance requirements that include certificates of analysis based on data provided by an accredited laboratory using validated compendial methods.

This free 2.5-hour webinar was designed to gain expert input from the dietary supplement industry, testing laboratories, retail establishments, government scientists, and academia; it will also aid the development of a prioritized strategic approach for a new AOAC program offering. It includes several short topic presentations followed by an open discussion for each.

AOAC Metals Community Webinar: Metals in Baby Food

On-demand
AOAC INTERNATIONAL Members: USD $40.00
Non-Members: USD $50.00

There has been recent media interest regarding toxic elements found in baby food products sold within the US. This one-hour webinar discusses the background of this issue, including how toxic elements enter baby food, the associated health risks, and the techniques used to characterize them. It also discusses how laboratories can analyze these sample types for the low level of elemental contaminants, and what reference materials are available to analysts to help with method validation.

The webinar is facilitated by Dr. Eve Kroukamp (PerkinElmer, Inc.) and Dr. Kevin Kubachka (US FDA), introduces the topics and provides background information. Dr. Patrick Gray (US FDA) discusses the FDA’s Closer to Zero plan and related methodology to measure low levels of elemental contaminants within baby food. Dr. Laura Wood (NIST) and Dr. Zoltan Mester (CNRC) then discuss the reference materials that their respective metrological institutions provide to aid method development and validation.

Vape Testing 2021: Overview of Today’s Vape Science and Testing Methodologies for Cannabis & Hemp Labs

On-demand

With the rising popularity of cannabis and CBD vape products globally and increasing attention to health concerns (such as the 2019 EVALI vape crisis in the US), there is a greater need to understand how the liquid, and the associated vapor emitted from devices, can be characterized to ensure the highest quality product reaches the consumer as safely as possible. As both organic and inorganic contaminants pose health concerns, today’s laboratories require optimized techniques to analyze both target compounds and unknowns in vape smoke to understand the potential impact to human health. This free two-hour webinar provided an industry overview on the state of cannabis vape science and testing from a panel of subject matter experts speaking to methodologies, testing apparatus, and past and future studies.

USDA Update on the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program

On March 8, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it had completed its review of the Final Rule establishing the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. As part of AOAC’s Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP)‘s Training and Education initiative, Bill Richmond and Dr. Kerry Smith from USDA offered to brief the AOAC CASP community on the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program’s Final Rule and its implications.

World Food Safety Day Webinar

On-demand

This free webinar was co-presented with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in honor of World Food Safety Day 2021. The aim of this webinar is to draw attention and inspire action to the requirements of accurate and reliable food testing as part of ensuring food safety and quality, as well as supporting free flow of food and agri-food commodities as part of international trade. Discrepancies in food testing results are cited as a major source of disagreements between trading partners, which emphasizes the importance of standardization in the development and implementation of food testing in regulatory settings. 

Women in Science

On-demand
AOAC INTERNATIONAL
Members: USD $79.00
Non-Members: USD $99.00

As our sector grows and evolves, so does our responsibility to cultivate a culture in which women in the science of food safety and public health increase their impact as they advance professionally. In this 90-minute webinar, we will discuss the challenges women in science face in their careers and how we can all inspire, empower, support, and mentor women within our organizations.

Setting up a Cannabis Lab

On-demand

Starting a cannabis testing laboratory is a complex endeavor with many aspects to consider. In this free 90-minute webinar, subject matter experts share their insights on setting realistic timelines, building a technical development plan, and navigating laboratory accreditation.

Heavy Metals in Cannabis

On-demand

In this free 90-minute webinar, subject matter experts share insights into regulating heavy metals in cannabis, heavy metal analysis, validation of various metals by microwave digestion and ICP-MS Analysis, and perspectives on adding heavy metals to a compliance testing lab.

Microbial Contaminants in Cannabis

On-demand

In this free 90-minute webinar, subject matter experts share insights into which technologies are suitable for what a lab is trying to accomplish, challenges faced in the cannabis micro lab, expanding into the world of cannabis testing, and AOAC’s role in developing standards, education, and methods for microbiological analysis.

Chemical Contaminants in Cannabis

On-demand

In this free 90-minute webinar, subject matter experts share insights into pesticide residue and mycotoxin method development, a US perspective on pesticide and mycotoxin testing, good manufacturing practices, and navigating the challenges of pesticide testing for various cannabis sample types.

Establishing Standards for Color Additives from Natural Sources

On-demand

Internationally, with the consumer demand for “natural” colors increasing, some food manufacturers are turning away from synthetic color additives and towards those from plant extracts or other natural sources. This free one-hour webinar provides briefings that speak to key potential safety hazards affecting sourcing and analytical challenges.

Developing Standards and Methods for the Detection of Aspergillus in Cannabis and Hemp Materials

On-demand

In this free on-demand webinar produced jointly by AOAC’s Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP) and Cannabis Science & Technology, AOAC consultant Pat Bird shares insights into AOAC’S method validation process useful to cannabis stakeholders like regulators and labs. Originally aired September 30, 2020.

Food Authenticity and the AOAC International Standards and Methods Program

On-demand

How accurately and appropriately are foods and their ingredients represented to the consumer? In this free one-hour webinar, join AOAC experts to learn about food authenticity analytical science in a live webcast produced in collaboration with Food Analysis and Separation Science. Originally aired June 2, 2020.

Editors’ Series: Cannabis Analytical Science Program

On-demand

AOAC INTERNATIONAL launched the Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP) in early 2019 to provide a forum for the development of standards and the adoption of Official Methods of Analysis. In this free one-hour webinar, AOAC experts joined Cannabis Science & Technology magazine in a review of the CASP program. Originally aired December 5, 2019.

Sampling Practices for Accurate Test Results

Not currently scheduled

In collaboration with presenters and subject matter experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and other nationally recognized experts, this training course will introduce theoretical considerations for the reliable collection of test samples and the practical applications for testing water, soil amendments, fresh produce, and grains for several highly pathogenic microbial contaminants.